Michigan State Hockey Dominates Northern Michigan with a 6-2 Win
Michigan State’s hockey team had a strong showing against Northern Michigan, winning 6-2 and completing a series sweep. The game took place at the Berry Events Center in Marquette.
Head coach Adam Nightingale praised his team’s performance, noting that the first period was especially impressive. “I thought we got to our game right off the bat,” he said.
With this victory, Michigan State improved to 5-1-0. Meanwhile, Northern Michigan is still searching for its first win at 0-8-0. The Spartans will take a break before resuming play against Penn State on November 7.
Several players stood out in this game. Tommi Mannisto and Tiernan Shoudy each scored two goals and added two assists, marking their best performances yet. Freshman Porter Martone also played well, contributing one goal and one assist. Martone has now tallied points in four of his six games this season.
In a key moment, senior Daniel Russell scored his first goal of the year, breaking a tie and netting his twelfth career game-winning goal. He currently leads NCAA players in game-winning goals.
Making his collegiate debut, freshman goalie Melvin Strahl recorded 22 saves. Nightingale praised Strahl, saying, “He made a big save about 30 seconds in and looked really confident.” The Spartans dominated the shots on goal, outshooting Northern Michigan 45-24.
The game had its ups and downs. A potential goal by Ryker Lee was called back due to an offside challenge. Still, Michigan State quickly bounced back, with Mannisto scoring early in the first period and then again later.
In the second period, Northern Michigan managed to tie the game at 2-2, but the Spartans regained control. After a strong third period, Michigan State scored four times and maintained a solid penalty kill, going 7-for-8.
This victory reflects Michigan State’s strong start to the season and willingness to adapt under pressure. As they move forward, the Spartans seem well-prepared for their upcoming Big Ten challenges.
For more details on NCAA hockey stats, you can visit NCAA.com.
